Vesperae Solennes De Confessore K.339 - Exsultate Jubilate K.165 - Kyrie K.341 - Ave Verum Corpus K.618

Released in 1972 on the Philips label, this recording brings together some of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most celebrated sacred choral works. The selection features the Vesperae solennes de confessore, the solo motet Exsultate, jubilate, and other major liturgical pieces. This recording was part of a broader mid-century effort by the Philips label to document canonical classical repertoire with high-fidelity production, capturing a period when the refinement of the London Symphony Orchestra and the technical precision of Sir Colin Davis were particularly favored by critics for their clarity and balance.

The album is noted for the vocal contributions of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, whose early career performance here highlights the lyricism and poise that would soon propel her to international stardom. Sir Colin Davis, a conductor renowned for his affinity for Mozart’s structures, sought a clean, objective interpretation that avoided the heavy romanticism often applied to these sacred works in earlier decades. The recording was well received upon its release, establishing a benchmark for the period and remaining a standard reference for these specific K-number compositions.